***
Jace knew he couldn’t put if off any longer. He asked Lorna to come with him to his office as that was the only space available to have a conversation. Maggie saw them going that way and frowned. As soon as he closed the door, Lorna immediately put her arms around his neck and kissed him with every ounce of passion she could muster.
He was taken by surprise but recovered quickly. He removed her arms and placed them by her side. “Listen to me, Lorna. I have no idea what brought you back to Montana but you and I both know it wasn’t just to kiss me, okay? What we had when you were here for your week in the wilderness experience was just that…a wilderness experience. We didn’t know each other and still don’t, really.”
“I’d like to remedy that situation, Jace. We could get to know each other much better if you’d give it a chance.”
She brought her arms up again but he caught them this time. “No, that isn’t going to happen, Lorna. What we had was a small infatuation…nothing more. And, the minute you found out I had no money, you disappeared. I suspect you thought when you saw the crowds out there, that The Branding Iron was more than successful now but that isn’t true. In fact, a friend loaned me the money to bring that band here to try and raise awareness of this place.”
She pursed her lips into a pouty little girl face and whined, “But Jace, I do care about you.”
The door opened and Maggie stuck her head in. “Sorry, Boss but there’s a situation out here I think you need to take care of.”
Jace left immediately, envisioning a bar fight. Maggie stepped into the room and closed the door behind her when he left, blocking Lorna’s exit. She put her hands on her hips and looked at Lorna. “Now listen and listen good, you money-grubbing bitch. You are never going to get your hooks into that man, do you understand me? He’s a good man and deserves a good woman and that isn’t you. Now I want you out of The Branding Iron in the next ten minutes and if you ever come back, I will kick your ass all the way back to California. Consider yourself lucky I’m only using words right now.” She walked behind Lorna all the way to the front door, escorting he
r out into the night.
Jace couldn’t find any problem to take care of but he did see Lorna storm out the door. Maggie came back to the bar and smiled at him. “It’s all good, Boss. I just took the trash out.”
CHAPTER 35
ON THE FLIGHT Camille had a thousand thoughts running through her head. It made her unbelievably sad to know she would, in all probability, never see Collier again. Her fake phone number and email address would be eliminated and he would not be able to reach her, even if he wanted to…which she was sure he didn’t.
She would continue writing the articles using the name Emily Hasbro. She had experienced enough different kinds of scam artists, genuine people and just plain wierdos that she should be able to fictionalize most of the columns.
‘Why did you ever think this would work in the first place, Camille? You’ve never considered yourself to be an accomplished liar so what possessed you to think you could pull this off? You should have turned around and headed right back home the minute you met Collier and realized he knew who you were. Woulda, shoulda, coulda…the story of your life.’
***
Dani didn’t go back to the bar on Saturday evening, choosing to stay home with her dad and Luke. After the concert in the park on Sunday, the Frasier family really was leaving for Texas and she wanted to spend some time with Luke while Cal and Lucy went to enjoy the band one last time. Luke and her dad had developed a special bond during the weeks he was visiting and she knew Dean would miss him.
“We are going to the park tomorrow, right?” Luke asked. “I want to hear the band too so I know what Grandpa and Grammy are talking about all the way home,” he confessed.
“Of course, we’re going, aren’t we, Danielle?”
She looked at her dad and made a face. “I know what you’re up to, Dad and it isn’t going to work, but yes, we’ll pack a picnic lunch and go to Bogert Park.”
Dean and Luke gave each other a conspiratorial grin. Dani didn’t know for sure what that was all about but she was certain it had something to do with her and Jace.
***
When Cal and Lucy were dancing, she whispered in his ear, “That woman I said I didn’t know but was putting the moves on Jace…she left in a huff. That’s one down.”
“What in the world are you talkin’ about, Lucy?”
“Oh Honey, you’re so unobservant sometimes. The way I have it figured, there’s three or four women wanting to get closer to Jace. The blond who just left…I think we can consider her gone. The one who was with the man named Collier, last night…mmm, I think she kind of liked him too. Then there’s the bartender, Maggie. I like her a lot and she confided in me last night that she’s been after Jace for a few years but strictly on a ‘go to bed’ mission. Then there’s Dani who won’t admit how much she cares for him. I’m praying for Dani. How about you?”
“I’m still trying to figure out how you surmised all that just by watching people.”
***
Will had a flight back to St. Louis in the morning so he decided to spend some time at the bar he went to the first time he was in town. He was amazed at the crowd. The last time he was there, it was fairly empty. He found a seat at the bar when someone moved.
The same bartender waited on him. “Hey, good to see you’re back,” she said with a beautiful smile.
“I’m flattered you remembered me,” he told her.
“I never forget a handsome face and a good tipper,” she joked.